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ST. GEORGE — A woman was charged Wednesday with stealing a police vehicle and leading officers on a high-speed chase that ended with her being shot.
Investigators say she apparently wanted police to kill her, according to documents filed in 5th District Court.
Joann Boone, 58, of St. George, was charged with aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, and other charges in connection with the Nov. 19 incident. A St. George police officer arrested the woman on a warrant charging her with possession of burglary tools. The officer searched her, put her in his patrol vehicle and transported her to jail. Once there, he got out of the vehicle, took off his duty weapon and placed it in the back seat of the car, according to the court documents.
When the officer went to open the passenger door for Boone, he discovered that she had a gun in her hands — which were still handcuffed behind her back.
"The officer, feeling that his life was being threatened, retreated to the rear of his vehicle, obtaining his duty weapon, and took a cover position behind other vehicles," a police affidavit states.
The woman was able to close the doors, move her handcuffs from behind her to the front, make her way to the driver's seat and start the car. She backed the rear end of the vehicle into the jail doors and "accelerated at a high rate of speed through the entrance door causing about $5,000 in damage," police wrote.
The woman also hit a Washington County transportation van parked by the doors, allegedly causing another $1,000 in damage. She sped off onto state Route 9 heading east near 5300 W. State Street.
A Hurricane police officer saw the vehicle and estimated it was traveling 100 mph in a 55 mph zone. He switched on his lights and siren and initiated a pursuit that eventually continued from Hurricane to Laverkin to Toquerville and on to southbound I-15 until spikes were used to puncture the tires.
Boone allegedly continued to drive on the rims of one punctured tire until stopping at a Chevron station in Hurricane.
"At this time, Joann exited the vehicle with a firearm in her hand, after being ordered to drop the weapon and making several evasive movements, she was shot by a deputy that had been involved in the pursuit," the affidavit states.
Boone was arrested and taken to Dixie Regional Medical Center. When she was placed in custody, police say they discovered a bag of methamphetamine.
Boone later said the gun she had pointed at the officer had been hidden in her pants during the initial arrest, according to prosecutors.
"She also stated that she wanted the officers to kill her," court documents state.
Boone is a convicted felon who was restricted from owning or carrying a firearm, according to court records. She was also on parole in Nevada and on probation in Utah for previous felony convictions, according to police.
Boone was charged with aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, carrying a concealed dangerous weapon, criminal mischief, all second-degree felonies, and failure to stop or respond at the command of police and possession or use of a controlled substance, both third-degree felonies. She was held on $250,000 cash-only bail.
In a court hearing Wednesday, Boone was found indigent and given an attorney.
